Preparing transparencies.



'0. A. BIGELOW. PREPARING TRAN SPARENGIES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1909.

981,364. Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

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CHARLES A. BienLoi/v, or BILLINGS, MONTANA,

FACTURING COMPANY, OF BILLINGS, MONTANA, A CORPORATION OF M PREPARING TRANSPARENCIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 19, 1999. Serial No. 508,366.

l 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crmnnns A. Biciinow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Billings, in the county of Yellowstone and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Preparing 'li-anspareneies, of'which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. a

My invention relates to the art of preparing transparencies, and comprises an improved process and an improved machine.

The main object of the invention is to provide an invention whereby impressions of any picture, design, drawing, printing, or other similar matter taken from a negative impression device, such for example as an ordinary printing form having metal type set up in usual reversed manner, may be reproduced in negative on the under or reverse side of a transparent surface, such for example as glass, so that the impression is visible in positive or correct reading position through the transparent surface, and the rear or reverse side bearing the negative impression may be coated or backed-up to produce a finished product in which the impression is exposed through the glass, etc. but is covered and protected.

Other objects of the invention will be apparentfrom. the disclosure of the invention as hereinafter set forth.

In carrying out or practicing my improved process I take upon a transfer surface a positive impression of the design, drawing, printing or other work to be reproduced, this impression being made from a negative impression surface, or one having a reversed equivalent of the design, etc, to be reproduced. Thus an ordinary printing form having the usual metal type set up in the ordinary reversed manner, or an ordinary printing plate, such for example as a Zinc etching, may be employed when it is desired to reproduce printing, as for signs, etc, and the impression surface may or course be suitably varied as to pattern, design, etc, according as the matter to be reproduced varies, the only essential feature being that it shall be a negative or the reversed equivalent of the desired representation. A positive impression is taken from this negative upon a suitable transfer surface, preferably a rubber sheet having a B ber irom upon its provided desired glass plying a tect the the lines When solution,

material presents or other print is coating,

duction i should be of some soft in not absorb the ink, paint, etc., employed but will retain the same as a relief or cameo glass being a negati high pressure. surface thus con sion is th like substance,

The backing material may suitable mechanic-a or mirrored effect, terial, such as any suitable means wit tion is then made upon it cylinder the surplus silver is and the backing is It is plain from t ment of the representation,

arrangement when viewe process in fact impresses a reverse or rear face or surface parent material, which is exposed or seen only through the transparent m protected from injury being a negative imprint or re upon the reverse or rear face or the transparent material, and

canvas backing to pre stretching; in practic surface. The transfer ASSIGNOB TO BIGELOW' ART MANU- Patented J an. 10, 1911.

vent the rube the surface aterial which will surface thus with a positive reproduction of the representation, then matter upon a transparent sur for example, the repr ve or reversed lent of the positive matter on surface, and the imprint upon other transparent material is The side of the transparent taining a negative impresen coated or backed-up as by apiniprints its face, such as oduction on the equivathe transfer the glass or made under suitable paint, varnish, sizing or this backing serving to proimpression and also to bring out of the impression more sharply.

it is desired glass, is

be applied by any 1 means or by hand.

to produce a silvered the transparent inafirst coated by h the usual silvering the impression of the representafrom transfer washed off,

is a negative or reversed arrangea positive or transparent material,

nega

and the backing.

negative i mpression device,

which therefore regular appearance or d through the glass and that the tive upon the of the trans aterial and is by dirt, water, etc, inclosed between the transparent My process starts from positive imprint or reproduction is on a transfer surface, from which then backed-up with whereby the nnpressi s visible in positive or production is made surface of this last ima protective on or reprocorrect reading position through the transparent material and is protected by the transparent and backing materials.

This process may be carried out by or upon the machine shown in the accompanying drawings, in which the reference numeral 1 represents a base having an opposite pair of uprights 2 providing an upright frame, and provided with a horizontally reciprocating bed plate 3 moved back and forth in suitable guides by any suitable means such as the cog-teeth 4 operated by suitable cog-gears not shown; the arrangement of parts for reciprocating the bedplate is similar to that employed in the well known form of cylinder printing presses and are now well known in the art for this purpose and operate in the usual manner to move the bed plate back and forth along its guides. The bed plate carries an impression form or plate 5 having a negative or reversed equivalent of the impression to be produced; for example it may be of the ordinary construction generally used in ordinary press work for printing on paper, and equipped with the usual metal type 6 or a metal printing plate such for example as a zii'ic-etching, representing a negative of the impression to be made upon the trans parent material. The type, etching, etc, receives a supply of ink from suitable inking rolls 7 arranged on the base in any suitable manner, and preferably in open bearings so that the rolls may be readily and easily re placed when it is desired to change the color of the impression or parts thereof; the con struct-ion and operation of the ink rolls and associated parts being now well known in the art and requiring no detail description here.

Above the path of the bed plate a transfer cylinder 8 is journaled in suitable bearings 9 adjustably held by the regulating screws 10 in guides or Ways on the upright portions 2 of the frame. This cylinder is provided with a transfer surface 11 preferably composed of rubber having a canvas backing to receive a positive impression from the form upon coming in contact with the impression surface as the latter reciprocates beneath and in contact with the transfer surface of the cylinder and as the latter is rotated. The transfer cylinder is suitably driven from any sourceof power rotating in the di rection of the arrow, its speed being synchronized with the speed of the impression form. The transfer cylinder is provided with a guide or gage 12 against which the forward edge of the transparent material 13 abuts when the latter is fed into the machine, the gage and impression plate 5 being in such relation of movement that the latter will contact with the transfer surface in the rear of the gage at any suitable or predetermined point so that the positive transfer foot treadle 25 imprint or impression will be made on the transfer surface in proper position to be transferred to the transparent material 13 as the latter is alined against the guide.

The frame is provided with front and rear brackets 14; arranged in pairs, the front pair supporting a suitable feed-table 15 on which the transparent material, such as pieces of glass, slides freely toward the gage, the sides of the table being angular in cross section as shown to support the material in place. The rear pair of brackets support a receiving table composed of the opposite angular side pieces 16 adapted to receive and sup port the glass or other transparent material as the latter is delivered thereon by the transfer cylinder.

An impression roll 17 is journaled in bearing boxes 18 movably mounted in guides or ways 19 in the upper portion of the frame above the transfer cylinder; the impression roll is held away from and out of contact with the transfer cylinder by suitable expanding springs 20 arranged in the ways 19 below the boxes 18 and raising the boxes toward the upper portions of their guides or ways. A cam shaft 21 is revolubly mounted in the upper ends of the frame above the roll 17, and is provided with cam surfaces 22 adapted to press upon projections 23 rising from the boxes of the pressure roll when the shaft is turned to proper position, to force the roll down against and upon the material 13 on the transfer cylinder 8, the springs 20 lifting the pressure roll away from and out of contact with the material 121 when the pressure on the cams is released. The cam shaft may be operated by any suitable means such as the hand lever 24: or a placed within convenient reach of the operator, the lever being mounted on the cam shaft and the treadle being piv oted on a feed table 26 and connected to the cam shaft by any suitable means such for example as the operating link 27 leading from it to the handle 24. By employing the cam shaft the pressure exerted by the roll 17 is sufficient to press the glass or other transparent material against the transfer cylinder with force and irrespective of the varying thicknesses of the transparent materials, and by employing cams of such pre determined shape that the impression roll would be forced into contact with the transfer cylinder before the crest of the cams engage the roll. or before the cams come to a dead center over the roll, the springs 20 in raising the roll will return the cams automatically to place.

In the operation of the machine, a suitable negative impression surface 6 is arranged in the impression form or plate and is suitably inked by the ink rollers 7 when the machine is run, as now well understood in the art.

suitable transfer surface, preferably such as the above described, is arranged in position upon the trai'isfer cylinder 8 in rear of the gage 12; as the cylinder revolves and the plate reciprocates, the negative impression surface makes a positive imprint'at a suitable point upon the transfer surface of the cylinder. and as the cylinder revolves to bring its gage 12 substantially in alinement with the feed table, a plate or strip of transparent material 13, such as glass for example, is fed in against. the gage and then the impression roll is brought down upon the top of this material so that the latter is pressed against the transfer cylinder to take a negative imprint from the transfer surface. The pressure of the transparent material upon the transfer cylinder causes the latter to move th former from the carrier through the bite of the cylinder and roll and to deliver it upon the receiving table, the impression roll being free to revolve in its bearings as the glass is thus fed through. After the surfaces 13 are thus impressed they may be again run through the machine to back the impressions as by coating them with paint, varnish, etc. For this purpose a plane-faced impression plate 5 is used, and the ink rolls are replaced with suitable paint or varnish rolls. The plane-faced plate 5 deposits a film of varnish, paint, or other suitable material on the surface 11, which in turn deposits this backing material upon the reverse sides of the transparent surfaces and thus covers the impressions, whereby the latter are inclosed between the backing and the reverse surfaces of the transparent material.

In practicing this invention, the means for impressing the transparent surfaces upon the transfer surface is preferably of a yielding or resilient nature; for example. the impression roll 1? is a rubber roll. Furthermore, when glass is used the impression roll should be of less diameter than the transfer cylinder, so that the surface impinged upon by the impression roll will be less than by the transfer cylinder in order to obviate the danger of breaking the glass.

By the use of this invention a form or plate having a negative impression surface which is the reversed equivalent of the design to be imparted to the finished product, such as an ordinary printers form provided with ordinary printers type, may be employed to imprint a positive impression in proper reading position or arrangement upon the transfer surface, and the latter will in turn imprint a negative or reversed impression upon the under surface of the transparent material so that when the opposite side of the material is exposed or turned toward the eye the impression appears positive or in proper form or direction although on the reverse or rear side. This is clear by observing the course of the word Sign arbitrary form employed consisting of the which appears negatively upon the plate 5, positively upon the surface 11, and finally negatively upon the reverse or under surface of the glass 13, its negative character appearing from the fact that being printed on the under or reverse side it shows positive through the glass as indicated by the dotted lines. By thus printing a negative upon the inner or reverse side of the glass so that the design or impression correctly or positively appears when seen through the glass, the rear or reverse side of the glass may be coated with paint or any other suitable material such as varnish, etc., to protect the impression from damage. Furthermore, by employing my invention I am able to utilize the ordinary printers type or plates as used in the ordinary pross for printing upon paper, there by making it unnecessary to provide a prepared plate or other special printing means; and by employing the machine shown 1 can make an impression at each revolution of the cylinder.

I claim as new and desire to secure Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the class described, a moving form provided with a negative printing surface, a guide for a transparent surface, a transfer roller having a transfer surface mounted between the form and guide and moving during a portion of its revolution in contact with the form to receive a positive impression therefrom and during another portion of its revolution in contact with the transparent surface to imprint anegative impression thereon, and a resilient pressure roller bearing on the transparent surface opposite to the transfer roller.

2. In a device of the class described, a reciprocating bed having a form provided with a negative printing surface, a transfer roller having a transfer surface moving during a portion of its revolution in contact with the form to receive a positive impression therefrom, a guide for a transparent surface moving in contact with said transfer roller during another portion of the latters revolution to receive a negative impression therefrom, and a resilient pressure roller of less diameter than the transfer roller in contact with the transparent surface opposite to the transfer roller.

3. In a device of the class described, a reciprocating bed. having a form provided with a negative printing surface, a transfer roller having a rubber sheet providing a transfer surface moving during a portion of its revolution in contact with the form to receive apositive impression therefrom, a guide for a transparent surface moving in contact with said transfer roller during another portion of the latters revolution to receive a negative impression therefrom, v

and a rubber pressure roller of less diameter than the transfer roller in contact with the transparent surface.

4. A machine for printing in reverse on glass, comprising a moving type-form carrying a printing surface having a reversed equivalent of the design to'be printed on the glass, a rotating transfer cylinder to receive a positive impression from said surface in regular arrangement, a rubber pressure roller of less diameter than the transfer cylinder movably mounted adjacent the cylinder, and means operative at each printing operation to move the pressure roller to press the glass upon the cylinder for a negative imprint from the transfer cylinder on the under or reverse side of the glass.

A machine for printing in reverse on glass, comprising a reciprocating bed plate carrying a printing surface having a reversed equivalent of the design to be printed on the glass, a rotating transfer cylinder to receive a positive impression from said surface in regular arrangement, a resilient pres sure roller of less diameter than the transfer cylinder mounted in spring-pressed bear ings adjacent the cylinder, and a cam to move the pressure roller to apply pressure upon the glass when the latter 1s in position on the cylinder for a negat ve nnprlnt on the glass.

6. A machine for printing in reverse on glass, comprising a reciprocating bed plate carrying a printing surface having a reversed equivalent of the design to be printed on the glass, a rotating transfer cylinder having a rubber surface to receive a positive impression from said printing surface in regular arrangement, a rubber pressure roller of smaller diameter than and movably mounted adjacent the cylinder, and means to move the pressure roller to apply pressure upon the glass when the latter is in position on the cylinder.

7. A machine for printing in reverse on glass, comprising a reciprocating bed plate carrying a printing surface having a reversed equivalent of the design to be printed on the glass, a rotating transfer cylinder having a rubber surface to receive a positive impression from said printing surface in regular arrangement, a rubber pressure roller of smaller diameter than and mounted in spring-pressed bearings adjacent the cyl inder, and a cam shaft to move the pressure roller to apply pressure upon the glass when the latter is in position on the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. BIGELOXV.

itnesses S. V. SOULJ J, O. C. OVREN. 

